1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building construction, and the like, more particularly to an adjustable system for anchoring structural members to walls.
2. Background Art
It is well known in the art that codes and specifications are established for building construction for ensuring that buildings are constructed to withstand the loads and pressures that may be applied. Not only are builders governed by these regulations, it is advantageous to a builder to construct quality homes and buildings that withstand extreme conditions, to benefit the builder's repute and minimize liability. Attachment of structural members to walls in building construction is a process that is undertaken with grave attention and concern due to the significance of this attachment.
Under typical circumstances the structural members and walls experience gravity loading and compression distributed through the construction to the foundation or ground. However, the connection between the structural members and the walls may also experience loading in directions other than that caused by gravity. Specifically, these connections may experience loading caused by extreme wind, hurricane, earthquake, tornado, seismic conditions or the like. It is critical that the attachment of the structural members to the walls is designed to withstand the loading that these adverse conditions may subject the structure to. It is common that regulations or building codes require the structure to withstand vertical uplift loading within specified limits. These requirements may differ depending upon the geographic locations of the desired construction and the conditions that are typical for that area.
The prior art has established designs sufficient for undertaking the loading experienced by the attachments of structural members to walls and meeting the requirements set forth in the codes, specifications or regulations. The system typically employed for masonry walls includes a plurality of steel reinforcing bars throughout the wall and a plurality of anchors for fastening the structural members thereto. Typically, horizontal steel bars are set in the base or foundation and horizontal reinforcing bars are set in an upper concrete lintel poured in an upper region of the masonry wall. These foundation and lintel horizontal reinforcing bars are connected by a plurality of vertical reinforcing bars set within concrete poured columns within the masonry wall. The anchors are typically placed and set in the concrete lintel and include a hook or a similar configuration for interconnecting the anchor to the upper horizontal reinforcing bar. The structural members typically rest atop the wall and are secured to the anchors. The anchors typically include a plurality of apertures for receiving fasteners therethrough for securing the structural member to the anchor and consequently the masonry wall.
Although the system is sufficient for withstanding the applicable loading, there are drawbacks to the construction of this anchoring system. Firstly, the location of all anchors must be predetermined prior to the pouring of the concrete. All of the anchors must be accurately located in the construction of the masonry wall such that the structural members are accurately positioned in the construction of the carpentry. This requirement provides little flexibility to the design of the carpentry and requires that this design be completed beforehand. The placement of the anchors requires involvement of the carpenter with the mason during the phase of construction of the masonry wall. Consequently, all anchor locations must be measured and placed at the proper locations during the pouring of the concrete. Once the anchors are set, any design changes to the construction of the building would require an extreme amount of labor to incorporate.
Although the materials and components involved in this anchoring system are simple and low cost, the consequences of error are labor intensive and costly. If any error is made on the part of the draftsman, the mason or the carpenter and an anchor is cast in a wrong location, an alternate anchor must be selected, purchased, delivered, installed and inspected.
The prior art has overcome these disadvantages by providing adjustable anchoring systems that are embedded within concrete for either attaching structural members to a masonry wall or hanging pipes or conduit from a ceiling. Although these systems provide adjustment, the range of adjustment is limited in providing flexibility in the measurement and placement of the anchorage systems. Further, these adjustable anchoring systems comprise many components that are machined and/or welded, and are costly in light of the limited adjustability they provide.
The prior art provides various attachments for securing structural members to stud walls. These attachments comprise complex bracketry including designs for various applications. This bracketry typically requires fasteners installed in both the structural member and the stud wall. Accordingly, a builder attaching structural members to stud walls must retain a wide assortment of bracketry for the various attachment and securing possibilities encountered in the construction of a building.
Various techniques and designs have provided anchoring systems for attaching structural members to walls. It is the goal of the present invention to provide a simplified low cost, adjustable anchor system for securing structural members to walls.